Florida Statutes 617.0601 – Members, generally
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(1)(a) A corporation may have one or more classes of members or may have no members. If the corporation has one or more classes of members, the designation of such class or classes, the qualifications and rights of the members of each class, any quorum and voting requirements for meetings and activities of the members, and notice requirements sufficient to provide notice of meetings and activities of the members must be set forth in the articles of incorporation or in the bylaws.
Terms Used In Florida Statutes 617.0601
- Amendment: A proposal to alter the text of a pending bill or other measure by striking out some of it, by inserting new language, or both. Before an amendment becomes part of the measure, thelegislature must agree to it.
- Articles of incorporation: includes original, amended, and restated articles of incorporation, articles of consolidation, and articles of merger, and all amendments thereto, including documents designated by the laws of this state as charters, and, in the case of a foreign corporation, documents equivalent to articles of incorporation in the jurisdiction of incorporation. See Florida Statutes 617.01401
- Board of directors: means the group of persons vested with the management of the affairs of the corporation irrespective of the name by which such group is designated, including, but not limited to, managers or trustees. See Florida Statutes 617.01401
- Bylaws: means the code or codes of rules adopted for the regulation or management of the affairs of the corporation irrespective of the name or names by which such rules are designated. See Florida Statutes 617.01401
- Corporation: A legal entity owned by the holders of shares of stock that have been issued, and that can own, receive, and transfer property, and carry on business in its own name.
- Corporation not for profit: means a corporation no part of the income or profit of which is distributable to its members, directors, or officers, except as otherwise provided under this chapter. See Florida Statutes 617.01401
- Department: means the Department of State. See Florida Statutes 617.01401
- Member: means one having membership rights in a corporation in accordance with the provisions of its articles of incorporation or bylaws or the provisions of this chapter. See Florida Statutes 617.01401
- Quorum: The number of legislators that must be present to do business.
(b) The articles of incorporation or bylaws of any corporation not for profit that maintains chapters or affiliates may grant representatives of such chapters or affiliates the right to vote in conjunction with the board of directors of the corporation notwithstanding applicable quorum or voting requirements of this chapter if the corporation is registered with the Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services pursuant to ss. 496.401–496.424, the Solicitation of Contributions Act.
(c) This subsection does not apply to any condominium association organized under chapter 718.
(2) A corporation may issue certificates of membership. Stock certificates issued under former s. 617.011(2), Florida Statutes (1989), constitute certificates of membership for purposes of this section.
(3) Corporation members have no voting or other rights except as provided in the articles of incorporation or bylaws. However, members of any corporation existing on July 1, 1991, shall continue to have the same voting and other rights as before such date until changed by amendment of the articles of incorporation or bylaws.
(4) A corporation shall keep a membership book containing, in alphabetical order, the name and address of each member. The corporation shall also keep records in accordance with s. 617.1601.
(5) A resignation, expulsion, suspension, or termination of membership pursuant to s. 617.0606 or s. 617.0607 shall be recorded in the membership book. Unless otherwise provided in the articles of incorporation or the bylaws, all the rights and privileges of a member cease on termination of membership.
(6) Subsections (1), (2), (3), and (4) do not apply to a corporation that is an association as defined in s. 720.301.
(7) Where the articles of incorporation expressly limit membership in the corporation to property owners within specific measurable geographic boundaries and where the corporation has been formed for the benefit of all of those property owners, no such property owner shall be denied membership, provided that such property owner once admitted to membership, shall comply with the terms and conditions of membership. Any bylaws, rules, or other regulations to the contrary are deemed void and any persons excluded from membership by such bylaws, rules, or other regulations are deemed members with full rights, including the right, by the majority, or as otherwise provided in the articles of incorporation, to call for a meeting of the membership.